Conventional plumbing outlet boxes are typically used as housings for connections to plumbing systems. A plumbing outlet box may be provided, for example, for connecting a washing machine to pipes running within the walls of a building that are designed to carry water (e.g., hot and cold water supply and drain connections). As another example, a plumbing outlet box may be provided to connect an ice maker of a refrigerator to a water supply. Plumbing outlet boxes are generally installed in the walls of a house or other climate-controlled building. Often more than one plumbing outlet box is needed in the same area, each with the capability of connecting to different appliances having different configurations and requirements.
Various improved laundry boxes have been developed, which include separating water supply lines and drain connections into separate boxes, as opposed to the conventional singular box that houses both supply and drain capabilities. Separated boxes are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,735,511 to Ismert, as well as in U.S. Pat. No. 9,394,674 to Whitehead and Humber. However, existing boxes are limiting in their modularity, are cumbersome to install, and can be prone to undesirable flexing and misalignment during installation (and post-installation).
Accordingly, there is a need for a modular plumbing box system whose arrangement and orientation can be freely customizable, which can easily accommodate different types of connections, which is easy to install, which resists flexing, and which maintains alignment after installation.